ITU Head Wants Broadband Net Help for Africa

Less than 1% on continent have high-speed access
By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 28, 2007 10:38 PM CDT
ITU Head Wants Broadband Net Help for Africa
This undated photo provided by Intel Corp. shows Intel Chairman Craig Barrett, center, being shown a homework assignment by a student, lower left, at Maope Secondard School in Bela Bela, South Africa. Intel is helping to extend broadband internet access in Africa. (AP Photo/Intel Corp.)   (Associated Press)

Fewer than four per cent of Africans use the Internet and less than one per cent have broadband access, helping to keep Africa behind in education, medicine and business, the BBC reports. Dr Hamadoun Toure, head of the International Telecommunication Union, is asking world organizations to make sure a third of Africa has broadband Internet access by 2012.

"If you have just 1% of broadband access today you have 99% of opportunity. The good news is that Africa has had the highest growth in mobile use globally - twice the global average over the past three years," Dr Toure said. For the first time economic indicators are positive from Africa." (More Dr Hamadoun Toure stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X